Microclimate system for a patient support apparatus
First Claim
1. A microclimate system comprisinga support surface including a topper, the topper configured to conduct air along a top face of the support surface so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the support surface are drawn away from the top face of the support surface,an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper to provide air thereto, andan in-line sensor unit coupled to the controller, the in-line sensor unit coupled between the blower and the topper and configured to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided to the topper from the air box,wherein the controller is configured to receive from a control panel a selected level of microclimate control including a corresponding preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper, to receive indication of the input factor from the in-line sensor unit, to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity along the top face of the topper based at least in part on the input factor, and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity available along the top face of the topper.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to the present disclosure, a microclimate system includes a topper and an air box. The topper is configured to conduct air along a surface of the topper so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the topper are drawn away from the surface. The air box includes a blower coupled to the topper to provide air to the topper to be conducted along the surface of the topper. The air box may also include an environmental sensor unit coupled configured to detect environmental information corresponding to the environment around the microclimate system.
70 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A microclimate system comprising
a support surface including a topper, the topper configured to conduct air along a top face of the support surface so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the support surface are drawn away from the top face of the support surface, an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper to provide air thereto, and an in-line sensor unit coupled to the controller, the in-line sensor unit coupled between the blower and the topper and configured to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided to the topper from the air box, wherein the controller is configured to receive from a control panel a selected level of microclimate control including a corresponding preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper, to receive indication of the input factor from the in-line sensor unit, to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity along the top face of the topper based at least in part on the input factor, and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity available along the top face of the topper.
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12. A microclimate system comprising
a topper, an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper to provide air thereto, and an in-line sensor unit coupled the controller and configured to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided from the blower to the topper, wherein the controller is configured to receive a preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper, to receive indication of the input factor from the environmental sensor unit, to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity based at least in part on the input factor, and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity.
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17. A method for controlling a microclimate system including a topper and an air box coupled to the topper to provide pressurized air to the topper, the method comprising
receiving from a control panel a preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along a top face of the topper, receiving information that corresponds to air provided to the topper from the air box from a sensor unit that is coupled between a blower of the air box and the topper, determining if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity through the topper based at least in part on the information, and updating the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity through the topper.
Specification